[Loudoll]

Originally Posted by SoccerCoach

I've been cared for by Dr. Pead in the Santa Barbara office. I always am seen by the Dr., with his nurse practitioner attending. PA's and nurse practitioners spend a great deal of time training to be able to work in their field, under a doctor's guidance. I applaud them. The doctor may not be available due to another patient in greater need of his care. So, try to put yourself in the place of the patient needing the greater care. I'm betting, at that moment you would be glad the doctor is at your side. So, be patient people.

Fine. But it should cost you less!

[Bizdoc]

Well said, Dotti.

The PA-Cs and ARNPs that I've encountered are outstanding and freely consult with the MDs when it is appropriate. I don't expect any provider (even the MDs) to know everything about everything.

I find that the coverage issues I bounce against (for myself as well as for my aged parents) are driven by "mindless, faceless" idiots at insurance companies. My favorite one so far was Express Scripts trying to insist my folks use a mail order pharmacy even tho they are in a nursing home which insists on using their own pharmacy.

[Avista]

Originally Posted by dotti105

There seems to be a great deal of confusion and frustration regarding the Villages Health Care model.

I hate to be the one to say it, but if you lived in Smalltown, USA; you would be experiencing the same changes and confusion. Health care has changed, finally, and change is never easy.

For 20 yrs now we have been training advance practice RNs, (Nurse Practitioners) and Physician Assistants to help extend the access of health care to more people. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ACA. This has been going on for decades.

Our health care system in the US has been controlled, tightly, for the last 50 yrs by insurance companies. With the insurance lobbies, the ACA went into place as a system offering everyone health care, as provided by a particular insurance company. We do not have a single payer, universal system. The private companies, insurance companies still hold the reigns.

During the past 20 yrs as our choice of provider has increased by the addition of NPs and PAs, we are able to provide care to more people as well.

You will see many changes during the coming years. Even the Insurance companies realize that health care in the US was in deep trouble, with costs that were not sustainable. We, as a nation place far behind the other industrialized nations in the quality of our health care. Yet our costs are the highest. There is so much wrong with our health care system that these changes are much needed.

The models of "concierge care" and "packaged pricing" for all care surrounding a particular medical condition are some of the efforts we will see more of as ways to contain costs and still deliver quality care.

It isn't easy for anyone. The MDs are leaving patient care in droves. The hoops they have to jump through for reimbursement from the insurance companies just continue to increase. The insurance companies kick it back to the MD again and again, in order to delay payment. I think we have all experienced that.

I am a RN, still working in this changing scene. It is not easy for any of us. The Provider or the Patient. I personally think the Villages Health Care system is revolutionary and in a good way. They are paying these MDs on a salary, they are provided a health care team of NPs, PAs as well as Medical Assistants (no, they are not Nurses), and Certified Nursing Assistants. As a team they will provide care. You have a much better chance of receiving quality care with this approach.

We just moved permanently in June. We have both seen our new Primary Care Provider, we had un-rushed appointments with great attention to our medical history, our medications were reviewed and in some cases changed. Referrals to specialists were made the same day. In my case X-rays were done during the same visit. We have access, ourselves, to our lab work within 72 hrs.online.

As a RN, I was very impressed with the model for care and for the execution thus far. I understand that my provider WILL be "using a computer" through out the appointment. And I would be very concerned if that was not the case. I also understand that if I need to be seen on short notice, that I will be seen by someone else on the team.

I personally am thrilled that TVHC is pairing with USF med school. This ensures that you have specialists and sub specialists available, within the system. It also assures that your PCP will be up to date on treatment modalities as they change. I think we are very fortunate to have such a well structured model in place.

Someone did a great deal of research and created a model that can provide good care to the largest number of people for the lowest cost. If you are on medicare, this is a bargain! I am still working in Ca and my friends who are ready to retire (Nurses, Respiratory Therapists where I work) can't believe what a great Health Care Plan this is. They are going to be paying much more, for much less.

Ask your friends "back home" how they like their care. IF, and it's a big "if", their long standing MD is still is practice, I will be surprised. There are a few of the "old school" Docs left, but those who are unwilling to work as a team, and unwilling to learn how to chart electronically are leaving health care as fast as they can. And they should. Health care is a dynamic field, requiring creativity and the ability to learn through out their career.

If they are unable or unwilling to move forward, they need to leave; for your sake.

TVHC will have some growing pains. Of course, that is to be expected. But the system allows you to have a primary care physician that knows you and has a team to help provide for your care. That is such an improvement in health care delivery! As patients we are responsible for our own health. We need to work with our providers and educate ourselves on the system so that it can provide us with the best health care possible.

We are thrilled to have access to such quality care here. That was one of my biggest concerns, being in health care myself. To me it is a huge relief to have TVHC as it is structured. Give it a chance!

Great Post! Thank you. I agree. (Another RN)

[herbaru]

Great post dotti. I have a concern. I am not signed up with TVHC but a friend is. When she needed to be hospitalized she was instructed to go to the ER as her doctor does not have admitting privileges the The Villages Hospital. Anyone else experience this with a TVHC doctor?

Originally Posted by dotti105

There seems to be a great deal of confusion and frustration regarding the Villages Health Care model.

I hate to be the one to say it, but if you lived in Smalltown, USA; you would be experiencing the same changes and confusion. Health care has changed, finally, and change is never easy.

For 20 yrs now we have been training advance practice RNs, (Nurse Practitioners) and Physician Assistants to help extend the access of health care to more people. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ACA. This has been going on for decades.

Our health care system in the US has been controlled, tightly, for the last 50 yrs by insurance companies. With the insurance lobbies, the ACA went into place as a system offering everyone health care, as provided by a particular insurance company. We do not have a single payer, universal system. The private companies, insurance companies still hold the reigns.

During the past 20 yrs as our choice of provider has increased by the addition of NPs and PAs, we are able to provide care to more people as well.

You will see many changes during the coming years. Even the Insurance companies realize that health care in the US was in deep trouble, with costs that were not sustainable. We, as a nation place far behind the other industrialized nations in the quality of our health care. Yet our costs are the highest. There is so much wrong with our health care system that these changes are much needed.

The models of "concierge care" and "packaged pricing" for all care surrounding a particular medical condition are some of the efforts we will see more of as ways to contain costs and still deliver quality care.

It isn't easy for anyone. The MDs are leaving patient care in droves. The hoops they have to jump through for reimbursement from the insurance companies just continue to increase. The insurance companies kick it back to the MD again and again, in order to delay payment. I think we have all experienced that.

I am a RN, still working in this changing scene. It is not easy for any of us. The Provider or the Patient. I personally think the Villages Health Care system is revolutionary and in a good way. They are paying these MDs on a salary, they are provided a health care team of NPs, PAs as well as Medical Assistants (no, they are not Nurses), and Certified Nursing Assistants. As a team they will provide care. You have a much better chance of receiving quality care with this approach.

We just moved permanently in June. We have both seen our new Primary Care Provider, we had un-rushed appointments with great attention to our medical history, our medications were reviewed and in some cases changed. Referrals to specialists were made the same day. In my case X-rays were done during the same visit. We have access, ourselves, to our lab work within 72 hrs.online.

As a RN, I was very impressed with the model for care and for the execution thus far. I understand that my provider WILL be "using a computer" through out the appointment. And I would be very concerned if that was not the case. I also understand that if I need to be seen on short notice, that I will be seen by someone else on the team.

I personally am thrilled that TVHC is pairing with USF med school. This ensures that you have specialists and sub specialists available, within the system. It also assures that your PCP will be up to date on treatment modalities as they change. I think we are very fortunate to have such a well structured model in place.

Someone did a great deal of research and created a model that can provide good care to the largest number of people for the lowest cost. If you are on medicare, this is a bargain! I am still working in Ca and my friends who are ready to retire (Nurses, Respiratory Therapists where I work) can't believe what a great Health Care Plan this is. They are going to be paying much more, for much less.

Ask your friends "back home" how they like their care. IF, and it's a big "if", their long standing MD is still is practice, I will be surprised. There are a few of the "old school" Docs left, but those who are unwilling to work as a team, and unwilling to learn how to chart electronically are leaving health care as fast as they can. And they should. Health care is a dynamic field, requiring creativity and the ability to learn through out their career.

If they are unable or unwilling to move forward, they need to leave; for your sake.

TVHC will have some growing pains. Of course, that is to be expected. But the system allows you to have a primary care physician that knows you and has a team to help provide for your care. That is such an improvement in health care delivery! As patients we are responsible for our own health. We need to work with our providers and educate ourselves on the system so that it can provide us with the best health care possible.

We are thrilled to have access to such quality care here. That was one of my biggest concerns, being in health care myself. To me it is a huge relief to have TVHC as it is structured. Give it a chance!

[FloridaShrimp]

I also enrolled in The Villages Health System at Creekside. My initial appointment was with an "extender". An appointment with my chosen doctor was for 3 months later. I developed a problem and have had difficulty in seeing the doctor. When one has a problem, then a diagnostician is needed. Creekside currently, being new, is understaffed and seeing your doctor is almost impossible. I tried to change the time for a blood draw almost a month away and learned that there is only one person who does that and that she is booked a month out. I'll give it a little more time but unless I can see my doctor when I am ill, then I will go back to my former doctor. My doctor at Creekside is Christine Stopyra and I think that she is an excellent doctor. It is the management of the facility that is in question.

[Yorio]

When I started to read this thread I started to get concerned but thank goodness the latter posts are much more positive. So far I am able to see the doctor as planned at Pinellas and all care givers are very helpful. I stated previously that I am happy to be a guinea pig for this new health system and so far I am very pleased with the system. Recently my wife's doctor left the clinic recently and she will have a new doctor. Since we are closer to Lake Sumter, she would rather see a doctor there than in Pinellas. When we first joined Lake Sumter was not opened. As far as I can tell we can move all her files to Lake Sumter. Should there be a hiccup in transition, I'll write about it. So far so good in both of our cases.

[jojo]

I've been able to see my doctor at Colony on short notice. Also the staff is very efficient with lab tests follow-ups and prescription renewals. I appreciate the efficiency as well as the competence.

[gomoho]

In two years have had two physicals at Colony with two different docs (first one was let go). Both were a huge disappointment with mistakes made that I had to bring to their attention - not very reassuring. I did have a very positive experience with the PA, but do not have any faith in either of the two doctors I saw. Also have had billing problems with both physicals with incorrect coding. Have moved from The Villages since these occurences, but if I was still there would definitely leave The Village Health System.